Legislation re-introduced by U.S. Sen. Mark Kelly (D-Kelly) and a group of bipartisan lawmakers would ramp up testing and treatment of PFAS contamination in private wells. PFAS are a group thousands of human-made chemicals used in industrial and consumer goods. Exposure has linked to health issues like cancer.
The legislation would allow states to use $5 billion from the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law. Kelly says the change will help ensure funding reaches communities that rely on those wells — like those in rural and small areas.
Funding provided by the Bipartisan Infrastructure Law earmarked for water contamination did originally include private wells, but, Kelly says, not all communities ended up having access.
More water news
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A West Valley advocacy group will be hosting an economic development summit on Thursday. This year’s gathering put on by Westmarc will focus on sustainable growth in the West Valley, and includes panels featuring business and elected officials. -
Water was the top legislative priority for Democrats and independents and the second-highest priority for Republicans, after the border/immigration. -
Tucson leaders unanimously rejected a massive data center dubbed Project Blue last year amid outcry from the community with concerns about water, power and resources that they didn’t want put toward a data center. -
A federal hydrologist appeared to be momentarily at a loss for words Thursday as he described how dire the latest forecast has gotten for how much water will flow through the Colorado River Basin this summer. -
A new analysis of public federal workforce data shows about 5,800 fewer workers at public lands agencies in 2025 compared to the year before.
